2018 MOST WANTED GAME IMPROVEMENT IRON

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120

HoursResearched

9,199

ShotsHit

17

ProductsConsidered

36.1m

Readers

INDEPENDENT & UNBIASED

MyGolfSpy accepts $0 advertising dollars from any of the major golf manufacturers. We believe in always putting #ConsumerFirst.

120

HoursResearched

9,199

ShotsHit

17

ProductsConsidered

36.1m

Readers

OUR JOB IS YOUR GAME

Are you playing the right irons for your game?

Unfortunately, for most of us, the answer is “no.” The right irons for every golfer combine precision, distance, and forgiveness – all while maintaining a pleasant appearance at address.

So, how do you choose? If you don’t hit the center of the clubface nearly every time, chances are you need some help from your clubs. That’s where game improvement irons come in. These are designed to offer more forgiveness across the clubface, and even give you a little bit of the extra distance you’ve always wanted (or used to have).

This year we levered our Testing Facility in Yorktown, VA and put 17 of the top game-improvement models to the test. With over 9,000 shots hit, this is the most comprehensive and independent iron test in the world.

If you’re in the market for irons in 2018, this test is for you.

DEFINING THE GAME IMPROVEMENT CATEGORY

What characteristics define a game-improvement iron?

These types of clubs typically have a larger profile, some depth inside the cavity, and stronger-than-traditional lofts throughout the set.

While these aren’t your most workable clubs, what they will offer is some forgiveness for those inevitable off-center strikes, and that little bit of extra distance you might need to get it to that back pin placement.

The handicap level for these types of irons varies from scratch golfers, all the way into the high-teens. Game-improvement irons know no limits when it comes to the skill level of golfers gaming them. Some tour pros will often replace long irons with these easier-to-hit clubs.

REFINED ANALYTICS

Each year we strive to bring you the most accurate data possible to help you make the right purchasing decisions. As with years in the past, we’ve worked to improve our analytics, tightening our outlier detection system and tweaking our calculations. We’re still utilizing strokes gained, but have added another piece to the puzzle – statistical significance.

All testing was conducted inside our fully independent test facility located in Virginia. All testers used Bridgestone Tour B-RX golf ballsfor consistency and to reduce test variables. All ball data was collected using the world’s most trusted launch monitor, Foresight Sports GCQuad. All head data was captured using the Foresight’s HMT.

SHOTS HIT: 9,199

DATA POINTS: 662,328

TIME: 120 hours

TESTERS: 20

HANDICAP RANGE: +2 – 15

AGE RANGE: 25 – 83

DRIVER SWING SPEED RANGE: 80 mph – 120 mph

IRONS TESTED: Three irons, a short, middle, and long iron from each set

GET FIT FOR YOUR GAME WITH TRUEGOLFFIT™

RESULTS AND RANKINGS

For all MyGolfSpy Most Wanted Testing, we yield to only one boss – the launch monitor. There is no panel of judges, no round-table discussions and certainly no voting. As with all Most Wanted tests, we collected the standard set of launch monitor metrics (ball speed, launch angle, spin rates, distance, offline, etc.).

Our Most Wanted winner is the club that finished in the statistically significant top group (based on Strokes Gained) for the highest percentage of our testers. To simplify things a bit, we call the final order TRUERank; a metric that includes the order of finish (rank), along with the percentage of golfers for whom each club was shown to be in the top group.

Below you’ll find the data from our 2018 Most Wanted Game Improvement Iron Test. Note that you can use the Iron Model filter to limit the display to specific models. Also note that, by default, we show the comparative metrics for long irons. To see middle and short irons, use the Iron Type drop-down located on the top right of the charts.

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60 Comments

Mike Wood

1 year ago

In looking at the data table for your 2018 Most Wanted Game Improvement Irons, the last column is titled “Shot Area”. What do the data in that column represent? In other words, how is Shot Area defined? Does it represent the total area covered by all shots (Short/Long/Left/Right of target) for a given iron?

Mike

1 year ago

Being a 16 index, I can’t imagine ANY iron out there will noticeable lower my scores vs my current Ping G-Max irons. The reason I can hit my 6 iron today the same distance as my 5 iron 10 years ago is that my 6 iron today IS my 5 iron from back then. Whenever I look at or hit irons at the stores or at demo days (I like to tinker), I don’t care about the # on the club…what’s the loft on the iron? So in many new sets, the 6 iron is 24 deg (that’s stronger than my current 5H!) & the PW is 43 deg. So now I’ll need 2 GW to get me from my 43 deg PW to my 56 deg SW, right?

Gary

2 years ago

I was really happy with my Callaway Apex CF-16’s but decided to pick up a set of Srixon Z565’s from eBay for $350. I’m a high single digit, 68 years old and play 100+ rounds a year in western Colorado. The Srixon’s were like new and wow, I love them. They are now my gamers and the difference is the softer feel and much better in the long and mid irons than the Apex’s. I find the distance and control to be similar to the Apex’s but I am a convert to Srixon irons and I’ve had them all: Titleist AP1, AP2, Mizuno MP-25, Mizuno JPX850 and a few Ping sets over the years.

majorduffer

2 years ago

I have a question regarding your testing methodology. You tested long, mid, and short irons from these manufactures but you did not provide info on shaft length and loft for these irons which I assume were the same number for all manufacturers.. For example, if one manufacture’s mid iron was 2 deg less than another or had a longer shaft then in theory the same swing speed would normally make that particular manufacture’s iron longer. I know you can’t get all the shafts and lofts the same, but it would be great to know what the data on these irons so us consumers could take that into account when determining which iron really performs the best.

Gerald Teigrob

James Strachan

2 years ago

I play off high single figures and have ditched my Ping i200’s for a combo set of Srixon 545’s, 745’s and 945’s. Simply brilliant irons. So forgiving in the longer irons and the short irons are as smooth as butter. The 65’s and now the 85’s are barely any different from the original winning formula so if you don’t wish to lay out too much why not look for a well kept set of the 45’s – they should be a s cheap as chips and play just as well as the latest incarnation?

Dave S

scott

2 years ago

I’d like a new set of clubs but what it would cost me to buy a set I could play 40 rounds of golf so I’ll regrip my old one and play them for another year.
Is a newer set really going to lower my scores or just look better in my bag.

Depends on what you’ve got in your bag currently. New technology has its advantages when it comes to distance, forgiveness, etc. If you’re playing clubs that aren’t suited for your game, or your swing for that matter, you could be leaking performance.

We would suggest going to your local fitter to have your set checked out to see if it matches up with your game.

Gerald Teigrob

2 years ago

I have to agree with you, Sam. I work at Greebryre Golf and Country Club and demos come in all the time. I brought in my old Adams A7 GI irons and most of my Adams Redlines and was able to pick up newer sets for me – Two Nearly complete Bio Cell irons, along with Baffler irons. So if green fees are free then I must be a billionaire. And if you look around on certain demo sites,, I paid $100 for my more recent iron sets so you can take that to the bank!

Patch

1 year ago

For sure, I was using 1998 Taylor Made LCG, I loved those clubs, still do, bought them new. HC was hovering around 15-16 for few years. Bought the new Ben Hogan Edge mid 2018 and the Equalizer Wedges and I’m down to 13 in half a year.

Chris

1 year ago

I had a cheapie set I had purchased off the internet that did me when I was only playing 3-5 times per year, but a couple of years ago I decided to join a local golf club and now play 70-100 times per year. I went to a couple of the demo days at my club and was fitted for a set of Taylor Made M4 irons with stiff graphite shafts…and have been playing them for about 6 months. Have they made a difference…YES, my iron play has improved, my handicap is dropping and I’m enjoying my golf more. Would I go through this process again…definitely, but not for a few years at least. If you are considering new clubs get them fitted by a professional, don’t just go to a local store and try a few ‘off the rack’…fitting makes all the difference

Gerry T

2 years ago

I have been playing the Cobra Bio Cell irons, and I wouldn’t trade them for anything! I have both the stiff graphite and steel irons and look forward to playing them for a long time! I picked them up at our golf course as demos and am going with tried and true. If you like Srixon and are willing to hand out the denaro for them, have at it! I made my game improvement upgrade…Adams Golf to Cobra Bio Cell. I am good right now.

Dave S

Gerald Teigrob

2 years ago

I could upgrade but I might need to give up our first born. I already upgraded to these irons from Adams Redlines and A7s so this is a significant upgrade for me…and I got them from the golf course I work at as demos. So not thinking I would want to upgrade anytime soon!

stevegp

2 years ago

I enjoyed reading about this test, especially since it is the category in which I am most interested. I’m a big Srixon fan, playing both a Srixon driver and their Z-Star ball. When a was fitted at Club Champion a few years ago, the Z-565 was the iron that performed best for me. Srixon makes some superb gear.

David Bassett

2 years ago

Disappointed and surprised to see that of the several dozen shaft options Srixon offers, not one is available in A/senior/lite flex. I think an iron in the game improvement space is really missing the boat by not having something for us slower swingers

Kris

Gerald Teigrob

2 years ago

Kris, I have both Cobra GI and SGI irons. So far the GI irons are doing awesome, and getting my Bio Cell 4 iron in the 180-190 range is going to be a wise iron to play for some years to come! I am glad to have a Baffler XL option but I don’t have clubhead speed or distance issues like others who are moving into the young seniors’ group! So I share David’s frustration…and if I ever need to change over clubs to lite flex I do have that option available!

Reader

1 year ago

TaylorMade (M4) and I believe others certainly offer A/senior/lite flex shafts in almost all their clubs. Also your comment about ‘most people’ is a bit rude…but really no big surprise given the comments I’ve seen on this web site.

Brad

2 years ago

If you factor value for money into the equation, the Cleveland CBX irons are the winners in this contest. I was somewhat surprised that the CBX irons scored so poorly in the short irons. To me, the short irons are one of the strong points of these irons, while the long irons aren’t quite as good as some other GI irons. Strange that these results were flipped in this test. All depends on the population sample taken I suppose.

In any case, if golfers want the best GI irons for the money, get the Cleveland CBX. Cleveland/Srixon also offer a few shaft upgrades for these irons free of charge (if you ask for them), making them an even better deal.

808nation

Steve S

2 years ago

I think choosing iron types by handicap is probably ok as a starting point but I think swing speed, attack angle and consistency are better criteria. I play with a guy who is a very good iron player but plays to a 15 handicap. He just doesn’t putt well. I play to a 12-13 and have 4-5 par saves a round due to my chipping and putting. But, i need all the help I can get with my irons

Bwpage3

Gerry T

2 years ago

I prefer my Cobras over Srixon any day. I did get the Z Star golf balls, but I might need to remortgage our place for me to afford these irons. For those who like the Srixons keep playing them. I am with you on the F8 irons…poor position and disappointing rank…once again the flawed testers have spoken!

Thomas A

2 years ago

*results may vary per individual.

Gerald Teigrob

2 years ago

I recently played my Cobra Bio Cell Silver stiff graphite irons and my drive with my 4 iron came the closest ever to the 183-yard par three, leaving me an easy chip and a tap-in putt! Goodbye Srixon, hello Cobra! I haven’t hit a 4 iron so pure as I did then! How many amateurs in the higher handicapper level like me can say they pured a 183 yard 4 iron??

Stephen

2 years ago

One of the most interesting things about these tests for me is that every one of these clubs was a top performer for some golfers. Take the Vega Mizer. Bottom ranked overall, but for 37% of testers this club was in the top group. If I understand this correctly, this means that for over 1/3rd of the testers this club performed pretty much as well as any other club that was tested.

For me a key take away is trying different clubs and see what works for you. Don’t be afraid to try different brands, you may find a better game.

Grant

sidvicius

2 years ago

question;
would it be safe to say then.
I would have the best set, if i took all the number 1 ranking irons in the short, mid and long irons and combine them into one complete set?
so I would have ,
Srixon- for short Irons
TM4 – mid-irons
JPX 919- long irons

Alex

2 years ago

My guess is no, the head weight is different, shaft is different(but that’s something you can match, with extra work/money) You can have everything bended , loft and lie matched, shaft matched, SW and weight matched then maybe your statement would be true. But then you have changed the property of those clubs that were tested in(stock) so they may perform differently already.

Eric Herring

Spitfisher

2 years ago

I was surprised by your result. Srixon themselves describe this iron as a “players” iron. Looking at the iron myself the head is small, the sole is narrow and it has limited off set. I would say more suits for a 5-10 handicapper
I would class this as a players iron. Higher handicapper can be fooled hitting players irons of of mats which can and may have skewed your results. How a club interacts with turf is the key to game improvement.

Tour iron ( blade) up to a 6 handicap.
Players Iron 2-10 handicap
Game improvement to me would be a handicap of 10-20,
Super game improvement 15- 25.

Rob

2 years ago

I don’t know where you saw Srixon call them players, but this is taken directly from the Srixon Website

With distance, control, feel and forgiveness technologies packaged with a player’s look and feel, Z 585 Irons offer game-improvement features in a compact, workable shape that’s ideal for mid to low-handicappers.”

They are definitely Game Improvment, but probably among the best looking GI on the market. I have had the previous version and the 765, more players version.

Brandon

2 years ago

Plenty of mid handicap golfers strike their irons well enough to play players cavity backs or even blades. Their handicap is high as a result of penalty strokes off the tee and a poor shirt game. Basing your iron selection on handicap alone is a terrible idea.

Thomas A

Paintman

2 years ago

I’m the same way and all I could say is Amen brother. The last round I shot was a 90 with 45 putts.

Gerald Teigrob

2 years ago

I play right now in the 20=25 handicap with GI irons and my length and game fit my eye. So to me, SGI for higher handicap is an arbitrary thing and is based on other factors. I hit too fast and get under the ball too much for SGI irons, so GI irons is the way for me to go. I have plenty of clubhead speed and distance and am enjoying learning how to properly play a 4 iron again!

Gabrielle Cautilli

2 years ago

Please make a comparison between the past 3 or 5 winners. Newer doesn’t always mean better. It would be great to know how for example. The 2016 winner stacks against the new ones taking in consideration that the price is a huge difference. A valid point for people like me who are in developing countries and could benefit greatly from a smart budget purchase.

Kent

2 years ago

Another great read and surprising outcome. I’ve always wanted the Callaway Epic irons (Just because they are pretty and they would match my Driver) but time and time again, they are proven not worth the price tag. I wonder if it would be beneficial to add a price column to your work.